Grapple



Ot. 23, 1945. H H v PETUW 2,387,408

` GRAPPLE Filed Feb. l, 1945 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 23, `194:5. V- PERTU|T2,387,408

GRAPPLE Filed Feb. 1, 1945 2 sheetssheet 2 32 l al 7752.3,

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I I l 9 25' l? 24 I 27 l0' o 2 28 l/ 26| E I8 I )L /6 pushing `and ,egrippingljaw.

consisting of 1 necessarily of substantially elliptical configura-vPatented Oct. 23, 1945 i e `UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE assrsos GasrrmHector V. Pertuit, New Orleans, La. Application February 1, 1945, sensiNo. tracas (o1. :s4-ss) achim.

This invention relates to the oilicial class of t pulling and moreparticularly grapples.

i, The primary object of this invention resides in the provision of agrapple adapted to engage sheet metal plates and the like for lifting`the same. t l j Another object of this invention resides in the`provision of a grapple adapted to engage sheet metal plates so `theycan be lifted as practiced inbuilding ships. and subsequently releasedupon `slaclzingthe hoisting cable thereof. M -A further object of` thisinvention resides in `the provision of a sheet metal plate grapple tadapted to tighten its grip on the plate as the` same is hoisted.

4 still further object of this invention resides `in the particularconstruction of the housing. Asidefrom the aforesaid objects is theparticular construction of the wedge blocks.

In .addition to the objects heretofore set forth, this invention residesin the Particular construction and association of the gripping jaws.

One of the salient ieatureswf this invention` resides in the particularmanner of mounting the wedge blocks in the housing. l `With these andother objects in view this invention resides in certain novel featuresof construction and arrangement of elements to be `hereinafter moreparticularly set forth in the specification, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claim and, whilethis disclosure depicts my present con- `ception` of the`invention, theright ls reserved to resort to such changes in construction andarrangement of elements as come within the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application:

t Fig. 4 is a sectional vie taken approximately online l-lofFlg. l.

, Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the wedge blocks injuxtaposition.

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the rectangular t In the presentillustration of this invention the` numeral l designates, in general, agrapple a housing I., `preferable but not tion, formed of front and rearplates 1 and l I a mouth i4 for receiving a portion of a metal,

1 posed surfaces 2l disposed to travel in parallelism l which areprovided with roller races Il in their Il of slightly greater diameterthan stop pins I2 Vdisposed in the race I0.

Extending upwardly from the lower ends of the plates 1 and 8 areelongated slots I3 forming plate to be lifted by the grapple.

Formed on the inner surfaces of the plates 1 and I are inwardlyextending ribs It having their inner surfaces It disposed in spacedparallel relation to the inner surfaces of the walls l to form upwardlydiverging grooves l1 and their outer surfaces It coinciding with theopposed wall of the slots Il to forma wide area of contact with thesheet metal plates to be lifted.

Slidably disposed between the plates 1 and 8 and guided along thegrooves I1 by elongated ribs i9 formed thereon, are wedge blocks 2lhaving the major or upper portions of their op.

during upward and downwardly movement there-l of so as to be alwaysparallel to the sides ofthe plates to be lifted and. in order to readilypermit entrance of the edge portion of the sheet metal plate between thewedge blocks when lowered thereon, the lower inner surfaces of the wedgeblocks are levelled as indicated bythe t numeral 22.

In order to retain the wedge blocks in opposed slidable relation as theyincrease or diminish the distance therebetween during their gripping andreleasing action, they are connected adjacent their upper ends by a pin23 which permits movement thereof toward and from one another. Removablydisposed in sockets 2| and 25 formed in the wedge blocks adjacent theirinner opposed surfaces are gripping jaws 26 and 21, the forms of whichis of cylindrical configuration with its surface knurled while thelatter is of substantially rectangular configuration with its outersurface provided with gripping teeth 28, which together with theknurledsurface of the jaw 2t engages opposite sides of the sheet metalplate to be hoisted. Upward movement of the wedge blocksis limited by astop plate It formed between the plates 1 and 8. However, said stopplates may form a closure for thetop of the grapple.

Formed on the upper ends of plates 1 and l, are apertured lugs l0adapted to receive a bolt `8l or the like for suspending the grapplevfrom a'hoisting cable 32 or any well known hoisting means. t 3 Throughthe instrumentality of the aforesaid .assemblage of elements. the wedgeblocks nor- 4 the sheet metal plate by slacking' on the hoisting cable.

With this invention fully set forth, it is manifest that a sheet metalplate lifting grapple is provided which is positive in operation and,

through the instrumentality of the mechanism set forth, work inShipyards and other places wherein the same can be used will be speededup.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to protect byLetters Patent is:

A sheet plate grapple comprising, a housing having a. plate receivingmouth therein, wedge blocks in the housing and operable relative to themouth therein, gripping jaws on the opposed faces of the wedge blocks,means spanning the space between the upper portion of the wedge .blocksand slidably connecting them together, anti-friction elements betweenthe wedge blocks and housing, and a hoisting cable connected to thehousing.

' HECTOR V. PERTUIT.

